Archives for May 2019

Late Thursday night, Eureka Police were dispatched to a
burglary in progress at the 200 block of Grant Street in Eureka. The victim reported that he
was inside of his bedroom and heard someone in his living room. He advised that when he
called out to the person, he heard an interior door close and the lock engage. The victim fled
out of the back door of his residence and phoned 911.
Upon officer’s arrival, a woman was observed, through the front window, standing
inside the living room. A perimeter was established around the residence.
Several attempts were made to call the suspect out of the residence. Officers then attempted
to enter through the front door, however the suspect began barricading the door.
Officers ultimately entered through the backdoor of the residence and were able to detain the
suspect after a brief struggle. The suspect was identified as Kristi Caprice Hostler (39 years
old). Hostler was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on a charge of burglary
and probation violation. Due to Hostler’s probation status, she is ineligible for bail at this time.

The City of Arcata Building and Engineering Department announced today that the
Sidewalk and Valley West Park Improvements Project will begin on Thursday, June 6.
The work includes the installation of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, asphalt paving repair, bus shelter
installation, crosswalk enhancement and striping in the Valley West Neighborhood. Work for these projects will begin near the Library Circle at Humboldt State University, at 5th and E Streets and at K Street between 8th and 9th Streets. Project construction will take place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on some days the contractor will extend work hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A new round of charges for a Fairfield man on parole for a murder in Fortuna nearly 30 years ago. 48 year old Stephen Chiara is charged in the death of Mary Hadley in a March 27th motorcycle crash. Chiara faces counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, drunken driving causing injury, driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher and driving without a valid license, according to Lost Coast Outpost. Chiara had been released from prison last July after serving 26 years in the murder of Mary Kessler of Fortuna. Police say Hadley was a passenger on Chiara’s motorcycle on March 27th when he lost control and both were ejected. Hadley died from her injuries soon thereafter.

A fire Tuesday afternooon , Humboldt Bay Fire was conducting a
Trench Rescue training at the Humboldt Community Services District when
crews were dispatched to a home on fire in the Lazy J Trailer Park on the 3800
block of Jacobs Avenue.
Upon arrival, it appeared that the fire started in one trailer and had spread to a
neighboring trailer before crews arrived. Although all residents of the trailers made it out safely, 3 pet cats were killed in the fire. Five residents are displaced as a result of the fire, including a family of four.
Humboldt Bay Fire has partnered with the Red Cross to ensure the residents
receive alternate housing and accommodations.
Damages are estimated to be about $100,000 per home, for a total of $200,000.

A Garberville man was seriously injured when the small plane he was in crashed into some trees. On May 26, 2019, at about 6 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Jerold Phelps Hospital in Garberville for the report of a plane crash survivor. Upon further investigation, deputies learned that the survivor, a 48-year-old Garberville man, had been practicing taking off and landing alone in his 1970s-era Cessna plane at the Garberville Airport. According to the man, the plane’s engine reportedly lost power, causing it to crash into trees. The man was able to walk up a bluff to Sprowl Creek Road, where a passerby then picked him up and transported him to the hospital. The man was later transported to an out of area hospital in critical condition for further treatment. On May 27, at about 7:35 a.m., deputies located the plane in a thicket of trees near the 1800 block of Sprowel Creek Road.

Late Saturday morning, Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an area of the river bar near Azalea Road in Lower Redway for the report of a possible explosive device. Deputies located, what appeared to be, an oxygen tank with a fuse wire. The Sheriff’s Office Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team responded and rendered the device safe.

Deputies found that the tank contained an explosive material. It did not appear that the explosive was intentionally placed in this location and had likely washed downriver from an unknown location.

One person is under arrest after a shooting Sunday night in Arcata. Police received several calls of shots fired in the area of Foster Avenue and Alliance Road. As Arcata Police Officers arrived on scene they located two gunshot victims and multiple witnesses. Taevonne Latimer, 18 years old of Eureka, was located in the back seat of a vehicle stopped in traffic at the scene. Taevonne sustained several gunshot wounds to the torso area. Taevonne was transported to Mad River Community Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The second gunshot victim, Daylyn Prudhomme, 18 years old of Eureka, sustained a gunshot wound to his right upper thigh that exited and grazed his left thigh. Daylyn was also transported to Mad River Community Hospital where he was treated and discharged. Police say Taevonne, Daylyn and two juvenile friends were doing a drug deal with a white male. According to the victims, the transaction was arranged through snapchat. Taevonne, Daylyn and a White male juvenile friend exited their vehicle and met at the bus stop on Foster Avenue just East of Alliance Road; the location agreed upon for the transaction to take place. During the transaction the White male who the victim group had arranged the transaction with produced a handgun and fired multiple rounds; striking Taevonne and Daylyn. Their juvenile friend was not struck by gunfire. A couple on vacation were driving on Foster Avenue when they came upon the scene and rendered aid to Taevonne before APD Officers and medical personnel from the Arcata Fire District and Arcata-Mad River Ambulance arrived and treated both Taevonne and Daylyn for their injuries. The suspect was described as a White male, wearing a gray sweat suit and a green camouflage jacket. He was last seen on foot northbound on Western Avenue from Foster Avenue. APD Officers, with the assistance of Humboldt State University Police Officers, California Highway Patrol Officers and personnel from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office conducted an intensive search for the suspect and processed the scene for evidence. The suspect was not located. Arcata Police Department Detectives developed information that led to the identity of a 16 year old Manila resident who is the suspect in this shooting. The suspect, whose identity will not be released due to him being a minor, surrendered to Arcata Police Department personnel at approximately 12:45 PM on Monday, May 28, 2019. The suspect was accompanied by a family member. The suspect was booked into Juvenile Hall for one count of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Arcata is currently seeking community members to apply for open volunteer positions on the Economic Development Committee and the Transportation Safety Committee. Applicants who wish to apply for an open volunteer position on the Economic Development Committee should have interest in economic development, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, tourism and business expansion and revitalization. Those interested in applying for an open volunteer position on the Transportation Safety Committee should possess interest in all modes of transportation including walking, bicycling, skateboarding, driving, and public transit. City Committee applicants must live within Arcata city limits or must live or work within the Arcata Planning Area. Applications will be accepted in the Arcata City Manager’s office, located at 736 F Street in Arcata, until the positions are filled.

Students from 77 classrooms will learn about recycling, wildlife rehabilitation, redwood forests, alternative energy sources, marine animals, and more from a variety of local public and private agencies, businesses, community-based organizations, and science teachers.

Third through eighth-grade students from across Humboldt County will view wild animals up close with the “Conservation Ambassadors, Inc.” live animal presentation and learn about ways to save the ocean from Ocean Annie during her “Our Ocean and You” presentation.

REEF is sponsored by the Humboldt County Office of Education and Suddenlink Communications, and will be held at Humboldt State University.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is alerting customers in Humboldt County to be aware of ongoing scam phone calls with criminals threatening to shut off power if a payment is not made immediately.

PG&E’s Corporate Security department has received several reports in the past few days regarding scammers requesting payment on past due utility bills with a wire transfer, Green Dot card or Money Pack. Another happened in the form of a letter, with a copied PG&E logo on it, that demands payment. These most recent incidents happened in Eureka.

If you have concerns or would like to verify your bill, please call 1-800-PGE-5000.

Other scam phone calls, in other areas, include: notifying residents that they are eligible for a federal tax refund related to their utility bill, trying to sell services related to solar evaluation and claiming to represent a PG&E initiative to sell a product in order to gain access to their home.

In the event an impersonator knocks on your door, PG&E reminds customers that its representatives will always carry identification and will never ask for immediate payment with a prepaid cash card at anytime.